Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Learning!

OK... so... stippling.
Not so much a "natural" thing! LOL Although... it could be really fun! I finally got my machine figured out... had to really crank up the tension, and lowered the stitch to 0 . The hard part was having the pedal to the metal, and hearing the needle going 100mph, and NOT trying to zoom your hands around! LOL!! High speed needle, medium speed hands. DEFINITELY going to take some practice!!! :D
This is a quick picture of my first try. Found out that this LITTLE (12x12?) sandwhich was even hard to control, as my hands kept slipping. I'm told having quilting gloves will help with that. So now I need to go find a pair! I just know once I have the weight of the quilt on there, it is going to be a booger to move around freely like this! And no... sigh... i didn't win the long arm quilting give away :(
AND ... sigh... Jacque is NOT going to quilt all my quilts for me... UNLESS I win the awesome Janome sewing machine and then give it to her! LOLOL THEN she will quilt all my quilts for me!
Sadness!! :(
Soo.. guess i better learn how to do this, huh? LOL Or become a really good customer of Russ'!!
Got the white quilt sandwhiched and pinned and ready to go. Just waiting on some quilting thread that I ordered... going to try this thread from www.connectingthreads.com that Crazy Mom Quilts reccomends. The thing that really caught my attention was that you get 5,000 yards on a spool !! Unlike those little bitty spools of quilting thread for $4 a piece, and you go through what... about 50 0f them?!? LOL it feels like it!! So hoping this is GOOD thread - for that price, and that much I will be doing the happy dance if it is!!! I'll let ya know how it goes! Hoping to try quilting it this weekend! Oy. Wish me luck!! LOL
So last weekend we went to the ballpark market. Like a little antiquy flea market. :) I didn't buy much, just a couple things. And my husband thinks i was nuts to spend $5 on this...
But hey... #1 it is a great idea! #2 will i EVER get around to putting one together myself?!? NOPE!! So it was worth the 5 bucks!! LOL I hung it in my sewing room right above my sewing machine. Great for clipping ideas up on.. inspirational thoughts, fabrics, things you dont want to forget!
AND I got this darling basket!! Perfect for my wool strips that seem to multiply all by themselves! Cute, huh?
I like it!!
I got a few other things... cant mention them here as they are gifts for other peeps that read the blog. Sooo... that's about all I know today! Will be down at the shop all day tomorrow. And the Old Glory fair is this weekend! woohooo!!! Looking forward to that, as I go every year! Will be missing my son though, as he usually goes with me and we make a day of it.
Wish he still liked to hang with his mom! :(
Any of you are welcome to come with if you want! It's a prim junkers heaven!
xo
Hope you have blessed weekend!
Bren :)

10 comments:

Jacque. said...

Bren...keep practicing. And, really, the gloves make such a huge difference!!! I kid you not!

Love the little clipboard thingie...that is such a great idea!!!

Erin @ Why Not Sew? Quilts said...

i absolutely cannot stipple without gloves! if you don't have quilting gloves you can use the thin latex kind too. anything with a little grip. it makes all the difference. i think you did a great job!

Lindy said...

Bren

Send me your address....I'll mail you some latex free gloves.....

I have a bernina Quilt edition 153. You can now find them used for a lot less than I paid new....I saw one for 250 dollars.

primitivebettys said...

The stippling looks dangerous (for your fingers!)... but a fun way to finish a quilt. Lovely Bren!

Your new goodies are GREAT!

Smiles,

Betty

WoolenSails said...

I got some gloves, they do help.
I like holding the quilt on the outer edges when I can, then I can lift slightly and move it more freely.

Debbie

Unknown said...

Your off to a good start on stippling , don't give up.
I love the clippie thing you bought gives me an idea for something in my sewing room never enough room. Gotta think vertical.

katie

Joanne said...

I'm not a quilter but my mother is - Bren but I think your first time out is great - love that "pattern" you "stippled" - I requested that on my bed quilt my mom made me - I think she called it the "jigsaw puzzle" pattern. LOoking good! Can't wait to see what's next! Hope you are feeling better today

arlyce said...

looking good. have read that the gardening gloves covered with little rubber dots will also work. makes me think that i should do something about my tops that need to be finished into quilts, but i doubt that it is something that i am about the rush into! too many new ideas, too little time. arlyce

Cotton Eyed Jo said...

Looking great for a first time!

It is easiest if you start near the center, but maybe you did that and I just missed that reading at warp speed.

When you do something larger, set up a small table like a tv tray or whatever you have room for to help support the weight of the quilt. I did a kingsized quilt on a standard home sewing machine. Not saying it was easy, but quite doable! Keep on keeping on, and glade your back is better! Jo

karen said...

Thanks for posting this - its very helpful to see the stitching. I think I will get some of those gloves. Your quilt is beautiful.